About St. Matthew · Saltsburg, Pennsylvania
St. Matthew Parish is a small Roman Catholic church in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, in Indiana County, and is considered the oldest Catholic congregation west of the Alleghenies. Founded in 1847 by the Benedictine missionary Archabbot Boniface Wimmer (founder of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe), it is today grouped with two neighboring parishes — St. Ambrose in Avonmore and St. Sylvester in Slickville — under a single pastoral team known as the Partner Parishes. The current church was built in 1960 and dedicated in 1961 by Bishop William G. Connare of the Diocese of Greensburg. Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 11:00 AM, with the parish serving the Saltsburg community and surrounding small towns along the old Pennsylvania canal corridor.
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- St. Matthew the Apostle
- Rector
- Reverend Roselo Melloria (Parochial Vicar); Deacon Dan Frescura (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
St. Matthew is a small, historic Catholic community with roots going back to the very first generation of Catholic immigrants in western Pennsylvania — the original 1847 church still stands next to the present worship space. Worshippers join a parish served by an experienced pastoral team shared with two neighboring congregations (St. Ambrose in Avonmore and St. Sylvester in Slickville), with weekly Sunday Mass, weekday Mass, faith formation for children and adults, sacramental preparation, RCIA, and the ministries of two permanent deacons. For Catholics in the Saltsburg area, it offers a faithful, accessible home parish with deep local heritage and a close-knit Benedictine-founded tradition.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. Matthew Parish
St. Matthew Parish was established in 1847 in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, by Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, OSB — the same Benedictine missionary who founded Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe the previous year. The parish was created to serve the wave of European Catholic immigrants moving westward along the Pennsylvania canal, and the first stone church was dedicated on September 21, 1847, the feast of St. Matthew the Apostle. The parish was originally part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, became part of the newly formed Diocese of Greensburg in 1951, and built its current worship space in 1960, dedicated September 10, 1961 by Bishop William G. Connare. The parish marked its 150th anniversary in 1997 and its 175th anniversary in September 2022.
- Founded 1847 by Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, OSB
- Original church dedicated September 21, 1847 — feast of St. Matthew
- Transferred to Diocese of Greensburg, 1951
- Present church built 1960; dedicated September 10, 1961 by Bishop William G. Connare
- 150th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Anthony G. Bosco, September 21, 1997
- 175th anniversary commemorated in September 2022
The 1847 Church and Its Builders
The original St. Matthew Church — roughly 40 by 35 feet — was built of locally quarried stone hauled in by canal and unloaded at the John Martin Quarry. It was constructed by John Martin, an Irish immigrant stone mason, in gratitude to the Sisters of Charity of Quebec who had saved his father Peter's life on the voyage from Ireland, and was largely financed and built by the Rombach brothers, who later became noted clock makers. Archabbot Wimmer described the finished structure in his journal as 'a small basilica that is well built.' It is the only church building Wimmer ever had constructed off the grounds of Saint Vincent Archabbey, and it still stands adjacent to the present church.
- 40 x 35 foot stone church
- Built by stone mason John Martin in memory of his father Peter Martin
- Constructed almost entirely with the resources of the Rombach brothers (later clock makers)
- Only church Wimmer ever built off the Saint Vincent Archabbey grounds
- Last Mass in the original building: requiem high Mass, All Souls Day, November 2, 1960
Partner Parishes: St. Ambrose, St. Matthew and St. Sylvester
St. Matthew is one of three small Indiana–Westmoreland County parishes that share a single pastoral team, website, and parish secretary under the name Partner Parishes. The arrangement follows a long tradition — the very first pastor of St. Matthew, Benedictine Father Augustine Minkel, served Saltsburg jointly with Avonmore and Slickville. The shared website (partnerparishesmas.org) publishes a single Mass schedule, bulletin page, staff page, and sacramental guidelines covering all three communities.
- St. Matthew, Saltsburg — Sunday 11:00 AM (and Tuesday 8:30 AM)
- St. Sylvester, Slickville — Sunday 8:30 AM
- St. Ambrose, Avonmore — Saturday 5:00 PM (anticipated Sunday Mass)
Pastoral Staff and Clergy
The three partner parishes are served by a shared pastoral team. The Parochial Vicar is Reverend Roselo Melloria, with two permanent deacons — Deacon Dan Frescura (who also serves as Parish Administrator) and Deacon Craig Gilbert — supporting sacramental and pastoral life. Angela Palmiscno serves as Parish Secretary for all three parishes and can be reached at 724-697-4129. Kristin Andree is the Business Manager, Betsy Yaklich handles clearance coordination, and Jessica Clawson and Kristen Barta coordinate sacramental preparation and faith formation respectively.
- Rev. Roselo Melloria — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Dan Frescura — Parish Administrator
- Deacon Craig Gilbert — Permanent Deacon
- Angela Palmiscno — Parish Secretary (all three parishes), 724-697-4129
- Kristin Andree — Business Manager
- Jessica Clawson — Sacramental Preparation Site Coordinator
- Kristen Barta — Faith Formation Site Coordinator
- Betsy Yaklich — Clearance Coordinator
Mass and Worship Schedule
St. Matthew's published Mass schedule, as shown on the partner-parishes website and confirmed by multiple Catholic directories, is Sunday at 11:00 AM, with a weekday Mass on Tuesday at 8:30 AM. Confession, adoration and other devotional times are not separately listed for St. Matthew on the parish site; the partner-parishes site primarily publishes Mass times and sacramental guidelines. Couples preparing for marriage are told that the opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation is provided after the rehearsal if they desire.
- Sunday — 11:00 AM
- Tuesday — 8:30 AM
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Through the Partner Parishes, St. Matthew offers faith formation for children and adults. The Parish School of Religion supports parents as the primary educators of their children's faith, walking with them toward the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation. Adult faith formation includes Bible study, a Spiritual Book Club, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for those preparing to enter the Catholic Church. A week-long Summer Bible Camp is offered for children ages 10 and under each summer.
- Parish School of Religion (pre-K through grade 8)
- Sacramental Preparation — Baptism (as needed), Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (begins each fall, culminates at the Easter Vigil)
- Bible Study
- Spiritual Book Club (monthly)
- Summer Bible Camp for children ages 10 and under
Sacraments
The Partner Parishes website includes dedicated pages for the sacraments. Marriage guidelines cover rehearsals (scheduled the night before with the pastor, no later than 6:00 PM), the option for couples and wedding parties to receive the sacrament of reconciliation after the rehearsal, and the requirement that a Pennsylvania civil marriage license be brought to the pastor at the time of the rehearsal. A page on Holy Orders describes the three degrees of the sacrament — diaconate, presbyterate, and episcopate — and the role of deacons in assisting the bishop and priests with the liturgy and works of charity.
- Marriage guidelines published (rehearsal, confession option, civil license, diocesan offering)
- Holy Orders page describing diaconate, presbyterate, and episcopate
- Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation prepared through PSR and Sacramental Preparation
Parish Bulletins and Announcements
The Partner Parishes website maintains an archive of weekly bulletins under the 'Read our Weekly Bulletins' section, including recent issues from spring 2026 (April and May). Bulletins are the principal channel through which the parishes publish updated Mass intentions, event announcements, and seasonal schedule changes.
- Weekly bulletins archived on partnerparishesmas.org
- Used for Mass intentions, ministry announcements, and seasonal schedule changes
Visiting and Contacting the Parish
St. Matthew is located at 501 Cathedral Street, Saltsburg, Pennsylvania 15681, in Indiana County along the historic canal corridor. The parish phone line is 724-697-4129, answered by Parish Secretary Angela Palmiscno, who serves all three partner parishes. The parish falls within the Diocese of Greensburg, and bulletins and contact information are available through the partner-parishes website at partnerparishesmas.org.
- Address: 501 Cathedral Street, Saltsburg, PA 15681
- Parish office: 724-697-4129
- Website: partnerparishesmas.org
- Diocese: Greensburg
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Augustine Minkel, OSB1847–
First pastor of St. Matthew; Benedictine from Saint Vincent, served Saltsburg jointly with Avonmore and Slickville.
- Father Boniface Wimmer, OSBFounder, 1847
Founder of Saint Vincent Archabbey who established the parish and oversaw construction of the first church.
- Bishop William G. Connare1961
Bishop of Greensburg who dedicated the present-day St. Matthew Church on September 10, 1961.
- Bishop Emeritus Anthony G. Bosco1997
Presided at the 150th anniversary Mass on September 21, 1997.